Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines’ (14-3, 8-1 RMAC) Sam Beskind and Colorado Mesa’s (13-2, 9-0 RMAC) Mac Riniker are the Week Eight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Players of the Week, the league announced Monday.
 
Offensive Player of the Week: Sam Beskind | Colorado School of Mines | Gr. | G | Tucson, Ariz.
Beskind was an offensive maestro for the Orediggers over the weekend, as he tallied 15.5 points per game and recorded his second double-double of the season while leading the Orediggers to a pair of road wins over Colorado State University Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands. The graduate student opened the weekend with 17 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block in an 85-79 overtime win against the ThunderWolves on Friday. He followed that performance up with 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists against the Cowboys on Friday, leading his Mines team to a 69-60 win. The Tucson, Ariz., native currently leads the RMAC in assists with 4.8 per game and a +2.1 assist/turnover ratio. Behind Beskind, the Orediggers extended their winning streak to 10 games and stand in third place in the latest RMAC standings.
 
Honorable Mention: Matthew Ragsdale, Black Hills State; Bryce Latimer, Chadron State; Trevor Baskin, Colorado Mesa; Armon Muldrew, CSU Pueblo; Malik Whitaker, Fort Lewis; KJ Garrett, MSU Denver; Chase Mayo Harmon, Regis; Cameron Cohn, South Dakota Mines; Xavier Martinez, UCCS; Amar Rivers, Western Colorado; Trey Wood, Westminster.
 
Defensive Player of the Week: Mac Riniker | Colorado Mesa | R-Jr. | G | Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Riniker’s dominant defensive prowess was on full display for Colorado Mesa over the weekend, as the redshirt junior averaged 14 points per game and tallied eight assists, seven blocks, three steals and 18 rebounds throughout the weekend. Riniker’s best performance came in an overtime win over Chadron State on Friday, where he recorded 19 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 32 minutes of action. The reigning RMAC Defensive Player of the Year is currently tied for the number one rank in the league with 34 steals (2.3 per game) and ninth in the RMAC with 15 blocks. Behind Riniker, the Mavs are riding a five-game win streak and hold a firm grasp on the league’s top spot in the standings.
 
Honorable Mention: John Shanklin, Black Hills State; John Jenkins, Chadron State; Riley Schroeder, Colorado School of Mines; Makiah Morris, CSU Pueblo; Ryan Maslow, MSU Denver; Jesse Iweze, UCCS; Kade Juelfs, Western Colorado; Rylan O’Brien, Westminster.

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